I hate seeing posts about children who have lost parents where so many of the responses are ‘be brave’.
I appreciate that you’re trying to be kind and supportive, but do you know how many times I’ve been told to ‘be brave’? To ‘keep faith’ because eventually I’ll ‘get through it’? I’ve lost count. And do you know what? I’ve not been brave. I’ve cried, I’ve lashed out, I’ve hurt myself and I’ve hurt those I love and a few times the grief has almost gotten so much that it’s nearly killed me. And through all those times there’s that little nag in the back of my head saying that I should just ‘be brave’ and making me feel all the worse for failing to show that I can be that.
I’m just saying… there are other things you can say to bring comfort, that won’t make those in pain feel bad simply for feeling it.